Clem Burke Live With Magic Christian

March 03, 2010 8:58 am

The Legendary Clem Burke

By Leslie HamptonPublished February 28th, 2010

Drummer: Clem BurkeBand: Magic ChristianVenue: The Blank Club, San Jose on January 29th

Magic Christian* is a pop rock band with a powerhouse lineup. Known for his crucial role in Blondie drummer Clem Burke's performance never disappoints. The last time I saw him play was at the Fillmore with Blondie and he was playing inside a drum shield. I had the chance to ask him about his experience with the drum shield and he said it sounds great for the other performers. The drawback he said was it is like playing to a mirror all night. The light reflects off the plastic.

Clem's abilities are well adapted to filling any size venue, whether it be a night club or an ampitheater. It still shows why after 35+ years of playing drums why he deserves his spot in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.

*The Magic Christian is also the name of a 1969 film featuring Ringo Starr. In it, the world's richest man adopts a young boy, and together they set out to prove that anyone can be bought with money.

When not designing web pages, plonking her rare guitars or banging on her eBay drums, Leslie Hampton haunts northern California clubs and house concerts photographing musicians.

[Ed. Note: Each episode of Caught In The Act features a photo of a drummer in action, from the famous like Danny Carey to the not-so-famous local indies. If you're a photographer who'd like to feature your work in Caught In The Act, drop us a note.]